


no dawn, no day

by leov66



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Hurt No Comfort, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, alternative title: i just love making them suffer in different settings, vld season 3 spoilers obviously, voltron legendary defender crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 22:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12220620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leov66/pseuds/leov66
Summary: joly is done. cosette and marius think. combeferre and courfeyrac worry. enjolrasseethes. everyone tries to cope somehow. no one's fine.A Les Mis Voltron AU with Enjolras as the Red Paladin, Grantaire as the Black Paladin, Courfeyrac as the Blue Paladin, Combeferre as the Green Paladin, Joly as the Yellow Paladin and Cosette as Allura. Set after s03e01. After what seems like the final battle for the universe, Grantaire's gone. Courfeyrac tries to comfort Enjolras and ends up finding out more secrets from the past than he bargained for.





	no dawn, no day

**Author's Note:**

> no excuse for this, i just felt like writing a les mis voltron kinda thing cause i havent seen any yet so here i come
> 
> no happy ending for this either, we die like men

There have been many instances that proved having a room right by the former Red Paladin has its pros. For example, there’s literally no way you’ll ever be late for breakfast, because he always showers in the morning, and more often than not, hums or even sings. It would’ve been more acceptable, of course, if he was good at it, but you can’t have everything, can you? Another thing is, he’s got a schedule he sticks to, so even if you get caught up in reading or fall asleep with your facemask still on, the moment you hear his (usually angry) footsteps on the corridor between your rooms, you know exactly what time it is. And that time is _very late._ That’s because he trains in the evenings, after everyone has said their goodbyes and goodnights, and he stays there for an hour, maybe two. Space time is weird, but he somehow manages to always get it right. _Fucking smartass_.

 

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t times when Courfeyrac would rather strangle Enjolras in his sleep to get some peace at last. It’s one of those times again, apparently, when his temper gets the best of him and so does his anger. Despite the late hour, there seem to be some sort of rumbles from his room, like he’s throwing something, maybe? _What the actuall hell_. Like, who even does this? You have to pick it up eventually, and that’s irritating because it only makes you angrier.

 

Everything goes quiet. The sudden silence fills Courfeyrac with a sense of dread, a weird gut feeling, like something’s wrong. Enjolras doesn’t usually act like this, he’s collected and calm.

 

What if things aren’t okay with him right now? Thinking back on his the last few days, Courfeyrac reminds himself of the distance forming between Enjolras and the rest of the team, the anger whenever they tried to talk about what had happened-

 

_”Look, we get it, we all miss him equally,” Combeferre reasoned, hand on Enjolras’ shoulder. His tone was calm, like it always is, soothing._

 

_”No, you don’t get it. You don’t get it at all. You just moved on like this, like it didn’t mean anything, like-”_

 

_”The universe needs saving. Our mission is more important than this.”_

 

_Surprisingly, it was Joly. Joly who’d tried everything, twice, to find any information about the Kerberos mission, Joly who hadn’t ever given up on Bossuet and Musichetta, Joly who-_

 

_”There is no Voltron to save it anymore. Without him. Everybody seems to have forgotten that.”_

 

_Cosette tried to reason, so did Marius, but Enjolras stormed off without sparing them a second glance. Courfeyrac just stood there, watching, trying to understand._

* * *

_”He could’ve died out there, he can’t keep exposing himself like that,” Marius murmured, watching an unconscious Enjolras in the healing pod._

 

_Courfeyrac nodded, too caught up to reply. His head was still pounding from their little encounter with a Galra ship. The noise had always been the worst part of the whole ’saving the universe’ kinda thing, that’s what made it hard for him to fall asleep afterwards. The weapons’ clatter, commands and blaring alarms always keep on echoing in his mind, making it almost impossible to think straight._

 

_”He and R have known each other before, yes?”_

 

_”They were in the Garrison together, you’d have to hit Joly up for more, though. Their…friends graduated with them.”_

 

_Marius’s smile was almost nostalgic, in the way that made older people tear up the slightest bit, a half-memory of what could’ve been. There was something tragic about him in general, a certain longing he’ll never get to admit out loud. Understanding flickered in his eyes, and he didn’t say anything else._

_Courfeyrac never really cared about this sort of rumors. The Garrison’s golden boy, René Grantaire, with a preference for men? A soldier, humanity’s representative, openly gay? In a relationship? Unheard of. Even if it was true, why Enjolras? What was it, his pretty hair or his sick sim scores?_

* * *

He decides to leave his own room, and knock at Enjolras’ door. They’re a team, right? They should support each other. 

 

Silence. To be honest, Courfeyrac doesn’t know what he expects as he walks in.

 

The room looks like any other on the ship, as minimalistic as it gets, the bed neatly made, a few books on the floor. 

 

Enjolras is sitting on the floor, his hands in his hair and his face covered. His quickened breaths are the only sounds, too inconsistent, too hurried, like he’s trying to calm himself down but failing. Enjolras looks miserably like this, unlike himself, someone _weak_ , and he’s been nothing but strong this entire time. To watch the facade unravel right in front of him; that’s their relation’s turning point, though neither knows at this point.

 

”Get out,” Enjolras hisses without even looking up. The icy tone of his voice is outright terrifying _._

 

”Don’t you wanna talk about-”

 

”I said, _get out_. Now.”

 

For once in his life, Courfeyrac does as he’s told. He doesn’t notice the dog tags in the corner, thrown in a fit of anger, not to be picked up in a long, long time. 

* * *

”We have to go on somehow, he can’t just…keep on searching. This isn’t healthy,” Combeferre murmurs against his bare chest, his warm breath reminding him of rushed kisses in the Garrison, quick minutes in corners, regrettable nights painted gold with beer and lamplight. Here, only the stars around them witness their gentle love, and the darkness surrouns them like a soft blanket. It’s a distant idea of something after, when the universe is at peace and they’ve got all the time in the world, it’s an I love you finally said out loud, it’s a promise, it’s a kiss pressed to each and every tiny freckle on his body.

 

”You know it doesn’t work like that. He’s trying, but he needs time.”

 

”And you know we don’t have time. We need to talk to Cosette about it. Tomorrow.”

 

Courfeyrac nods along, eyes never leaving Combeferre’s, unwilling to hold back the love that seems to seep out of his chest anymore. Tomorrow is tomorrow, and tonight they’ve got each other.

 

Sometimes, he pretends Voltron ever happened. They’re young, in love and not afraid of anything. It’s summer, the peaches taste sweeter than a tender kiss, and the sunsets drip over the sky in shades of red and orange. They feel the sun’s warmth on their cheeks as they sit in the grass, human, safe and sound.

 

But that’s not their reallity anymore. Theirs is the struggle, the noise, the pain. They know each others’ scars by heart.

 

For now, in silence, with the lights off, they caress each other, dreaming of a happy future.

 

_It’s only a quick thought: If it was Combeferre who was missing, wouldn’t Courfeyrac try to move the universe in search for him? If the only person he could possibly imagine growing old with was suddenly gone, wouldn’t he be furious, wouldn’t he act on his anger?_

* * *

 

Weeks pass, as everyone tries to adjust themselves after the sudden loss of the Black Paladin. An attempt at moving on is made, but certainly not by Enjolras. He goes to that wasteland almost every day, as if R would just appear there, maybe with a ’sorry for the inconvinience, xoxo Haggar’ note. Of course, he doesn’t, but it doesn’t change anything.

 

_”They wanted to see Voltron,” Courfeyrac said, sprawled out on the couch. He and Combeferre had gone down to meet the Pulgians, and it was the one thing the creatures wouldn’t stop asking about. ”But, you know, we said that…that technically we don’t have Voltron anymore.”_

 

_”We don’t have him, either,” was Enjolras’ immediate response._

 

_"It may be difficult for us all to accept it at this time, but it may be time to think about finding a new pilot for the Black Lion,” Cosette announced. She looked tense, but there was something about her straight posture and the gleam in her eyes that reminded everyone she’s an actual space princess, a leader, and a strategist._

 

_No one knew what to say. Replace R? Absolute shock._

 

_Pure anger, when it came to Enjolras. ”No. I’m going to find him. He’s the only person who never gave up on me. I won’t give up on him.”_

 

They try to talk to the lion, to charm it, to make it obey. One by one, they sit where R once did, press a bunch of buttons, pull some things, hoping it’d work. But the Black Lion has been silent for a long time, ever since R’s capture.

 

Enjolras walks in last, unwilling. He spends the most time inside of all the Paladins, and no one hears what he said. 

 

They don’t feel the dull ache in his chest, don’t hear the quiet, broken words he whispers.

 

The _please, no_ , as the beast comes to life.

 

Three days into this hot mess that is Enjolras being the leader, Courfeyrac is already done. The team’s dynamic is still weak and damaged, the Red Lion is acting like she’s mad at him and Combeferre’s insomnia is bad again.

 

He hates this new situation, hates change in general.

 

Sometimes, he spends the evenings in Enjolras’ rooms. It’s an hour or two, maybe, but it’s enough to begin getting along. There are things they never talk about, and the questions that are never asked twirl around them forever. 

 

_Courfeyrac notices a single photograph, once, just as he’s about to leave. It looks like a Polaroid, and it shows a young man with dark hair, leaning on a tree and smoking a ciagrette. He’s barely a silhouette against a beautiful sunset, but it’s obvious enough what the photographer wanted to capture the most._

 

_Who wouldn’t have fallen in love with him?_

* * *

 

The second Enjolras turns on the com and says the lion is trying to lead him somewhere, fear rushes through Courfeyrac. What if it’s another Galra trap, what if something goes wrong, what if the lions-

 

A single ship, approaching the Black Lion. With a half-dead R inside.

 

Back at the castle, Enjolras looks like he’s been crying. No one notices but Courfeyrac.

 

R is put in a room and a bed, told (ordered, really, though he wouldn’t risk getting Cosette mad) to rest. The team wants to follow him, but a warning glance from the Princess is all it takes to stop them. Only Enjolras can’t stay away, standing by the door for a long time before choosing to walk in. Courfeyrac is there, too, standing in a corner, watching him wordlessly. He wanted to talk to R, too, but remains in the darkness, waiting.

 

A snippet of a conversation he’s not meant to hear reaches his ears.

 

_”How many times are you gonna have to save me before this is over?”_

 

_”As many times as it takes.”_

* * *

 

Saving the universe is a pretty tough job, especially if the team is only trying to pick itself up from the shock that is R coming back _just like this_. There’s a sense of a threat looming over them, even if no one notices just yet. Combeferre does, and his words, full of doubt, whispered in the night, are a steady reminder. Joly doubts, too, they tell him one evening. Cosette doesn’t have to say anything, it’s obvious for anyone who can read her.

 

Nobody mentions it to Enjolras, never. The former Red Paladin’s always by R’s side, talking to him in a low voice, ready to snap at anybody who dares say anything remotely aggresive. He holds him like he’s afraid, like finding him for that second time was the final straw. 

 

 _”Do you remember, 'Taire, back at the Garrison,” Enjolras says to a drowsy R, who’s leaning on his shoulder. He lowers his voice for the second part, and Courfeyrac doesn’t quite catch it. R’s smile is so fond it makes him feel bad about thinking he’d be any sort of threat. One look at the scars, the mess his hair turned to (he didn’t let anybody touch it, not even Enjolras), his prosthetic arm, the one the Galra have taken away, the way he can’t ever fully relax, even though he’s safe at the Lion Castle, back with the team, with Enjolras. This man deserves some fucking_ rest _, it’s been way too long since he’s had a chance to do that._

* * *

 

Things get kinda worse, because the team’s new dynamic obviously didn’t include R in it. Enjolras looks…uncomfortable most of the time, the obvious inability to choose between the universe and the man he lost and found and lost and found is almost painful to watch. He and Courfeyrac drift apart in those days, because all Enjolras does these days is watch over R. It would be irritating, had it not been for the fact the man has been through enough shit for at least three lifetimes. 

 

The paladins aren’t stupid, and it’s obvious to notice something is off, anyway. How R can’t remember some things, doesn’t really get jokes anymore, doesn’t want to talk about whatever happened when he was captured for the second time. Day after day, they turn more and more doubtful of him, to both his and Enjolras’ obliviousness. Or so they think.

 

The walls are thinner than Courfeyrac woud like them to be, especially in moments like those. It must be late, again, it always happens when it’s already late. 

 

He’s pretty sure he can hear Enjolras crying. Really crying, not like the last time, when despite all those emotions racing through him, he managed to pull himself together. It’s terrifying, because Courfeyrac would never expect him, their _leader,_ to be so painfully human, to actually _break_.

 

Before he knows it, Courfeyrac is knocking and going into the room. Just like the last time, the former Red Paladin is sitting on the floor, back against the wall, face covered with his hands. 

 

Yeah, he’s crying, it’s easy to see. Courfeyrac sits on the floor next to him, silent, merely a observer, knowing all too well there’s no point in asking. He’s there, though, and that must be reassuring enough for Enjolras to finally try to collect himself.

 

”It’s…it’s not him,” he whispers, barely audible, and the truth is hurting him. ”You knew, didn’t you.”

 

Courfeyrac doesn’t dare say anything. With hesitance, he pulls Enjolras in for a tight embrace, and the lack of restraint in the way the blond holds onto him is even worse than the quiet sobs he can _feel_ more than actually hear.

 

Around them, an unfamiliar sky, thousands of cold stars.

**Author's Note:**

> 1) my tumblr is [@euphra-sie](https://euphra-sie.tumblr.com) i uhh write stuff and scream with my beta sometimes
> 
> 2) this au has consumed me honestly???? like i wouldve died for it no tea no shade
> 
> 3) oh and title from florence + the machine's 'cosmic love' which is uhh a banger am i right
> 
> 4) and just to clarify a little thing - yes this might seem e/r centric, but this is supposed to be my take at the les mis characters in a vld setting, i was curious and this happened. the dynamics dont match every single one of vld's, obviously, but this is just how i see this. **this is in no way a 'thats vld but with les mis characters!!!!' kinda thing** and if you fellow vld fans for example dont like the keith/shiro relationship and i obviously portrayed in this one and would rather see, idk, a keith/lance kinda thing, thats absolutely fine, but im begging please dont start any discourse over this fic. the fandom is shitty enough as it is. thanks have a smashing day
> 
> 5) the usual but hey **did you know THE KUDO AND COMMENT BUTTONS ARE JUST. LITTERALLY THERE YKNOW**


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